Racing: Ivan Denisovich will attempt to secure even further Aidan O'Brien's stranglehold on the ante-post betting for next year's 2,000 Guineas when he runs in tomorrow's Darley Prix Morny at Deauville.
Only six line up against Ivan Denisovich in the Group One contest and they include his stable companion, Nero, who is there to take up pacemaking duties. However, the home fillies Mauralakova and New Girlfriend, as well as Eoghan ONeill's Always Hopeful, will make this a genuine test of the Ballydoyle colt.
George Washington's Phoenix Stakes demolition means he dominates the Guineas betting at 4 to 1 but the strength in depth of O'Brien's juvenile team is illustrated by both Ivan Denisovich and Horatio Nelson being rated the next best by the bookmakers at 16 to 1 each.
A comprehensive success in Newmarket's July Stakes is the reason for Ivan Denisovich's prominent position, plus a glowing reference from O'Brien for the half-brother to the Breeders' Cup Mile-winner, War Chant.
"A lovely-minded horse . . . if he were a human being he would be a bubbly character," enthused his trainer at Newmarket.
It might be too much to expect a similar champagne performance in a better race like this but Ivan Denisovich could well end up following in the hoofprints of Orpen seven years ago as well as Fasliyev (1999) and Johannesburg (2001)
Paddy Power yesterday installed the Ballydoyle number one as their 7 to 4 favourite with the French fillies next best at 9 to 4 each.
The feature race among tomorrow's home cards is the Listed Denny Cordell Lavarack Memorial Stakes at Gowran, which looks a good winning opportunity for Luas Line prior to another transatlantic journey next month.
David Wachman's filly, which placed third in the Irish Guineas in May, travelled 6,000 miles to Hollywood Park in July for the American Oaks, in which she finished fourth to the Japanese star Cesario.
That journey clearly had no ill effect as she returned to easily win a Listed contest at Cork, and Luas Line is now using this weekend as a build-up to next month's Garden City Breeders' Cup in Belmont Park, New York, next month.
Technically Luas Line has a bit to find on ratings with the likes of Pictavia but unlike that filly Luas Line appears to be on the upgrade and she can prove the point emphatically.
Daliya is an interesting runner in the opening fillies maiden and one that is likely to be a worthy test of Michael Kinane's powers of persuasion.
The daughter of Giants Causeway is a half-sister to the Derby runner-up Daliapour but two runs for Michael Stoute last year indicated a filly with temperament problems.
She wore blinkers on her debut and a visor when second at Windsor in October. Daliya also hung badly in that race.
Nevertheless, the Aga Khan team have persevered and if Kinane can persuade her to use it, Daliya should have the ability to win.
Kinane could also be on the mark in the first handicap, where he rides the topweight Karramalu.
The four-year-old missed an engagement last weekend with a stone bruise but there was a lot to like about her running on third at the Curragh before that.
Szewinska was a short-head winner at Gowran on her last start and drops back a furlong tomorrow.
Interestingly, her stable companion Rose Of Killeen also takes her chance in the seven-furlong handicap and that one's last run at Cork behind Burren Rose looked a decent effort.
Jumping fans will be catered for at Cork, where Willie The Shoe could be a bet in the two and a half mile handicap hurdle.
Jessica Harrington's runner drops half a mile from his last start at Kilbeggan when fourth to Dodger Nash, and Pharviva's presence at the top of the handicap looks to leave Willie The Shoe with a winning-looking weight on 10.3.
A mistake at the second-last was the only blot on Seaforde's display at Tramore last weekend and although the novice now takes on handicap company in the first chase, that can be outweighed by the three-mile trip, which Conor O'Dwyer's mount should relish.
O'Dwyer will also fancy his chances on the impressive Galway winner Monjoyau in the novice chase and Laetitia is an interesting contender for the mares bumper.
